/What Workers’ Comp Benefits are Available to Injured Workers in Georgia?

What Workers’ Comp Benefits are Available to Injured Workers in Georgia?

Workers’ Compensation is an important – but complex – topic. That’s why we’ve already talked about what to do if you’re injured at work and answers to common workers’ comp questions. Helping our clients in Macon, Dublin, Warner Robins and Bibb County, we frequently take on workers’ comp cases involving lifting injuries, low back and neck injuries, slips and falls, shoulder and knee injuries, head and foot injuries, machine and equipment accidents, auto accidents and repetitive motion injuries (such as carpal tunnel).

In this post, we want to help you better understand the various types of Georgia workers’ compensation benefits. Most likely, you will qualify for some of these benefits if you’re injured on the job. We encourage you to seek out a Macon workers’ comp attorney to guide you through your specific situation.

Workers’ comp usually involves one or more of the benefits below. The type of benefit you receive depends on what type of injury you have, how severe it is, and how it affects your ability to work and live. Some benefits are temporary, while others are long term.

2. Disability Wage Replacement

There are several different forms of wage replacement, also called income benefits. Your physical condition, ability to complete your job tasks, and days of work you’ve missed factor into the type and amount of wage replacement you will be eligible for. The types of income replacement include:

Total Temporary Disability (TTD)

Total Partial Disability (TPD)

Know that the term “income replacement benefits” is a bit misleading. Rather than paying 100% of what you usually earn, they typically pay up to two-thirds of your normal earnings. There are also weekly payment caps that severely limit this benefit, as well as a time limit on how long these benefits are payable to an injured worker.

3. Catastrophic Wage Benefits and Vocational Rehabilitation Benefits.

Certain severe work injuries may qualify a worker for lifetime weekly payments if the injury prevents the worker from performing any job that exists in substantial numbers in the national economy. Such injuries may include amputations, spinal cord injuries, severe burns, and other traumatic conditions. In addition, some severely injured workers may also qualify for job training if the injury forces them to switch to a new line of work.

4. Death Benefits.

When an employee loses their life on the job, their employer will pay the dependents (spouse and/or children) for lost wages and funeral expenses.

5. Permanent Partial Disability (“PPD”) Benefits.

After your medical treatment is complete, your doctor may determine that you suffer from a level of “permanent impairment” to the body part you injured at work. If so, you may qualify for PPD benefits. These weekly benefits are paid once you are no longer receiving TTD or TPD wage replacement benefits, even if you have already returned to work.

In addition to the benefits provided by your company, you may also be eligible for financial assistance through Social Security Disability or private long-term disability insurance. Many companies provide long term disability insurance, so check to see if you already have it.

Need help with your Workers’ Compensation claim?In Georgia, you have 30 days to report your workplace injury to your employer. The attorneys at Buzzell, Graham & Welsh are here to help you get the settlement you deserve. Having us on your side will ease your frustration. We’ll handle roadblocks such as denied claims and stalled benefits. Contact the Macon workers’ compensation attorneys at Buzzell, Graham & Welsh for your free consultation today.